Application Provisioning System

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for provisioning applications include storing an application identifier in association with location information in a database that is accessible by a user device. The user device then detects that it is located at a location included in the location information. In response to detecting that it is located at the location, the user device determines an application that is included on the user device and that is identified by the application identifier that is associated with the first location. The user device then automatically provides the application for display to a user. In some embodiments, the application may be automatically provided by automatically launching the application on the user device, and that application may be automatically closed if the user device leaves the location or the application is not used for a predetermined amount of time.

CROSS REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation Application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/968,628, filed on May 1, 2018, entitled“APPLICATION PROVISIONING SYSTEM,” Attorney Docket Number70481.1436US02, which in turn is a Continuation Application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/473,198 filed on Aug. 29, 2014, entitled“APPLICATION PROVISIONING SYSTEM,” now U.S. Pat. No. 9,961,490, issuedon May 1, 2018, Attorney Docket Number 70481.1436, the contents of whichare incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure generally relates to online and/or mobilepayments and more particularly to an application provisioning systemthat may be used in making online and/or mobile payments.

Related Art

More and more consumers are purchasing items and services overelectronic networks such as, for example, the Internet. Consumersroutinely purchase products and services from merchants and individualsalike. The transactions may take place directly between a conventionalor on-line merchant or retailer and the consumer, and payment istypically made by entering credit card or other financial information.Transactions may also take place with the aid of an on-line or mobilepayment service provider such as, for example, PayPal, Inc. of San Jose,Calif. Such payment service providers can make transactions easier andsafer for the parties involved. Purchasing with the assistance of apayment service provider from the convenience of virtually anywhereusing a mobile device is one main reason why on-line and mobilepurchases are growing very quickly.

Online and/or mobile payments may be enabled on user devices via, forexample, payment applications on those user devices. With theintroduction of mobile software distribution platforms (also known as“app stores”) for mobile user device such as, for example, the AmazonAppstore, the App Store from Apple, Inc, Google Play from Google, Inc.,and the Windows Store from Microsoft, Inc., the installation and use ofapplications on user devices has grown rapidly. In fact, many users mayhave dozens, if not hundreds, of applications installed on their mobileuser devices at any given time. Each of those applications is associatedwith an application icon that is displayed on one of a plurality of homescreens of the user device and that may be selected in order to launchthat application such that the user may use that application. However,finding a particular application icon amongst the plurality ofapplication icons included on the home screens of the user device can bevery difficult and time consuming, particularly when application iconsmay be located in folders with other application icons such that theyare not immediately recognizable on the home screen. As such, a usermust expend time and energy searching for application icons of theapplication that the user would like to use, which can in some caseslead the user to not using the application.

Thus, there is a need for an improved application provisioning system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view illustrating an embodiment of a physicalmerchant location.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a beacondevice;

FIG. 3a is a schematic top view illustrating an embodiment of anapplication provisioning system that includes a plurality of the beacondevices of FIG. 2 in the physical merchant location of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3b is a schematic top view illustrating an embodiment of theapplication provisioning system of FIG. 3a with the beacon devicesproviding communication areas;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method forproviding applications;

FIG. 5a is a screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a user devicedisplaying an application provisioning settings screen;

FIG. 5b is a screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a user devicedisplaying an application provisioning settings screen;

FIG. 5c is a screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a user devicedisplaying an application provisioning settings screen;

FIG. 6 is a schematic top view illustrating an embodiment of a customerlocated at the physical merchant location of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7a is a screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a user devicedisplaying an application that has been automatically launched;

FIG. 7b is a screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a user devicedisplaying an application that has been automatically launched;

FIG. 8 is a screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a user devicedisplaying applications that have been automatically provided viaapplication icons on a quick-launch window;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a networkedsystem;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a userdevice;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a wearabledevice;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a computersystem; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a user device.

Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are bestunderstood by referring to the detailed description that follows. Itshould be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identifylike elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, whereinshowings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of thepresent disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for automaticallyprovisioning applications to a user when the user is at a particularlocation. For example, the systems and methods may include determiningapplication provisioning settings, either automatically or as providedby a user, such that when a user device of the user enters a merchantlocation, communicates with a merchant system, or otherwise determinesthat the user is in a location that is associated with a merchant and atwhich particular applications may be helpful to the user, thoseapplications are automatically provided to the user so that the user mayuse any of those applications. In some examples, those applications maybe launched so that they are ready for immediate use by the user, whilein other examples, the application icons for those applications may beprovided for display to the user such that those applications may bequickly and easily launched. As such, a user entering a merchantlocation such as a restaurant may be automatically provided with apayment application (or associated application icon) for making paymentsto the restaurant, an Internet browser application (or associatedapplication icon) directed to a menu of the restaurant, and a socialmedia application (or associated application icon) directed to a socialmedia profile of the restaurant. The systems and methods may alsomonitor whether the user leaves the merchant location and/or if theautomatically provided applications are not being used in order todetermine whether to automatically close those applications such thatthey are not left open on the user device when the user does not need touse them.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a physical merchant location100 is illustrated. The physical merchant location 100 illustrated inFIG. 1 is provided as just one example of a location that may beassociated with application provisioning instructions, and as discussedbelow the application provision system of the present disclosure will bebeneficial for a wide variety of other types of locations. The physicalmerchant location 100 includes a merchant building 102 having aplurality of exterior walls 102 a, 102 b, 102 c, and 102 d that define aphysical merchant location interior 104. The exterior wall 102 aincludes an exterior door 106 (e.g., a “front” door in the illustratedembodiment) and an exterior window 108. In the illustrated embodiment,the physical merchant location interior 104 includes a merchant employeearea 110, a counter 112, and a product display 114 located behind thecounter 112. One of skill in the art in possession of the presentdisclosure will recognize that the physical merchant location 100 isjust one of a plurality of different types of locations (including thosenot associated with merchants) where the application provisioning systemdiscussed below may be utilized while remaining within the scope of thepresent disclosure.

In a specific example, the physical merchant location 100 may be arestaurant, the merchant employee area 110 a kitchen, the counter 112 anordering counter, and the product display 114 a menu. In anotherexample, the physical merchant location 100 may be a clothing store, themerchant employee area 110 a clothing stock room, the counter 112 adisplay for clothing accessories for purchase, and the product display114 a clothing advertisement for one or more clothing products availableat the physical merchant location 100. However, while a few examples ofphysical merchant locations are discussed below, locations at whichapplications are automatically provisioned may also include non-merchantphysical locations such as, for example, a user's car, home, or place ofwork, a natural area such as a park, and/or any other locations that maybe associated with the use of particular applications on the userdevice.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an embodiment of a beacon device 200 isillustrated. The beacon device 200 includes a chassis that houses afirst communications system 204 such as, for example, a Wificommunications system. The first communications system 204 is coupled toa beacon engine 206 that may be provided by instructions on a memorysystem (not illustrated) in the beacon device 200 that, when executed bya processing system (not illustrated) in the beacon device 200, causesthe processing system to perform the functions of the beacon devices 200discussed below. The beacon engine 206 is coupled to a secondcommunication system 208 such as, for example, a Bluetooth communicationsystem, a Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) communication system, a near fieldcommunication (NFC) system, and/or a variety of other communicationsystems known in the art. While a few examples of communicationscomponents in the beacon device 200 have been described, one of skill inthe art will recognize that other communications devices, as well asother components that have been omitted for clarity of discussion andillustrated, may be included in the beacon device 200 and will fallwithin the scope of the present disclosure. One of skill in the art willrecognize that the components described above allow for the beacondevice to be provided in a relatively small form factor such that it maybe placed inconspicuously almost anywhere. The chassis 202 of the beacondevice 200 may include any of a variety of features that allow for thecoupling of the beacon device to different areas in a physical merchantlocation, discussed below.

Referring now to FIGS. 3a and 3b , an embodiment of a portion of anapplication provisioning system 300 is illustrated. As illustrated inFIG. 3a , the application provisioning system 300 may be provided bypositioning a plurality of the beacon devices 200, discussed above withreference to FIG. 2, in and around the physical merchant location 100,discussed above with reference to FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment,a plurality of beacon devices 200 a are positioned in and around thephysical merchant location 100. As discussed above, the beacon devices200 may be sized such that they may be inconspicuously positionedvirtually anywhere in or around the physical merchant location 100. Forexample, the beacon devices 200 a may be positioned on the ceiling ofthe physical merchant location 100, in the product display counter 112,and in the product display 116. Each of the beacon devices 200 in theapplication provisioning system 300 may be configured to wirelesslycommunicate, via its first communications system 204, with a merchantnetwork communication device 302 such as, for example, a Wifi wirelessrouter connected to a network such as the Internet, a server, and/orother computing system known in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 3b , in operation, each of the beacon devices 200is configured to create a communication area 304 with its secondcommunications system 204. For example, the second communications system204 in each beacon device 200 may be BLE communications device thatprovides an approximately 100 foot radius communications area. However,other communications systems providing other communications areas areenvisioned as falling within the scope of the present disclosure. As canbe seen in the illustrated embodiment, the beacon devices 200 may bepositioned in and around the physical merchant location 100 such thatthe communications areas 304 abut, overlap, or otherwise providecoverage for any area of interest within and around the physicalmerchant location 100. As such, one of skill in the art in possession ofthe present disclosure will appreciate that different configurations ofthe beacon devices 200 within and around the physical merchant location100 may be selected to cover any area within and around the physicalmerchant location 100 with a communications area 304. As discussed infurther detail below, each of the beacon devices 200 are configured tocommunicate with user devices within their respective communicationsarea 304 (e.g., using the second communication system 208) to collectdata, and then send that data to the merchant network communicationdevice 302 (e.g., using the first communication system 204) such thatthe data may be provided to a merchant device, a system provider device,and/or any other device operating to provide the applicationprovisioning discussed below. One of skill in the art will recognizethat the use of BLE communication devices for communication between thebeacon devices 200 a and user devices may be utilized to provide for lowpower communications in the background of a user device (e.g., when theuser device is not being actively used by the user).

In the embodiments illustrated and discussed below, the beacon devices200 and their communications areas 304 are not illustrated for clarityof illustration and discussed, but it should be understood that thecommunications and retrieval of information from beacon communicationdevices, and in some cases the provision of that information to a systemprovider device, may be accomplished using beacon devices providingcommunications areas such as the beacon devices 200 and communicationsareas 304 illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b . However, in some embodiments,the beacon devices 200 a may be omitted from the applicationprovisioning system 300 and any communications between the user devices,the merchant devices, and/or the system provider devices may be providedover other networks (e.g., Local Area Networks (LANs), the Internet,etc.) via other communications technologies (e.g., Bluetooth, NFC,Wi-Fi, etc.). Thus, while a specific example of an applicationprovisioning system 300 using beacon devices is provided, one of skillin the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize thatapplications may be automatically provisioned using a wide variety ofother communication systems while remaining within the scope of thepresent disclosure.

FIGS. 1, 3 a, and 3 b illustrate a physical merchant location 100 thatis a single building, and the beacon devices 200 are positioned toprovide communications areas 304 that cover the interior of that singlebuilding and an area outside the front of that single building. However,beacon devices 200 may be positioned virtually anywhere to retrieveinformation associated with a physical merchant location 100. Forexample, the physical merchant location may be located adjacent to orassociated with a parking lot, and beacon devices may be positionedaround that parking lot, at the entrances or exits of that parking lot,and/or anywhere else relative to that parking lot in order to collectand send information from beacon communication devices to the systemprovider device. In another example, the physical merchant location maybe located in a mall, and beacon devices may be positioned around thatmall, at the entrances or exits of that mall, and/or anywhere elserelative to that mall in order to collect and send information frombeacon communication devices to the system provider device. In someexamples, the first communication system may be connected to Wifinetworks available outside the physical merchant location in order tocommunicate collected information to a system provider device. In otherexamples, the first communication system may be a cellularcommunications system that allows the beacon devices to be positionedanywhere in range of a cellular communications tower, allowing beacondevices in the merchant to be positioned in virtually any physicallocation when providing the application provisioning system.

Referring now to FIG. 4, an embodiment of a method 400 for provisioningapplications is illustrated. In the embodiments discussed below, a userdevice of a user is a “system provider device” that operates to storeapplication provisioning instructions and location information, detectwhen the user device is located in a location defined by the locationinformation, identify applications defined by the applicationprovisioning instructions, and provide applications on the user device.However, in other embodiments such functionality may be provided by orwith the assistance of a system provider device (such as, for example,the payment service provider device, discussed below) that is separatefrom the user device and that communicates with the user device over anetwork. As such, operations discussed as being performed by the userdevice below may also be performed by a system provider device incommunication with the user device over the network. For example,application provisioning instructions and location information may becommunicated by the user device to the system provider device over thenetwork, the detection of the user device in a location defined by thelocation information may be accomplished by the user devicecommunicating its location over the network to the system providerdevice and the system provider device checking that location against thelocation information, the system provider device may identifyapplications defined by the application provisioning instructions, andthe system provider device may communicate with the user device over thenetwork to provision on the user device. As such, the functionality ofthe application provisioning system may be performed using a one or moresystems, just a few of which are explicitly described below.

In some embodiments, the user device discussed below may include anauto-provisioning application that controls the automatic provisioningof applications on the user device. As such, any actions associated withthe application provisioning system including receipt, determination,and/or storage of application provisioning settings, locationinformation, and/or other details that determine how applications areautomatically provisioned on the user device, as well as anyfunctionality of the user device including detecting a locationdetermining application provisioning instructions for that location,identifying applications, and providing applications on the user device,may be performed by or in conjunction with the auto-provisioningapplication on the user device.

The method 400 begins at block 402 where application provisioninginstructions are stored in association with location information. In anembodiment, at block 402, the application provisioning system determinesapplication provisioning instructions that include, for example,application identifiers and/or other information that identifies one ormore applications that are included on a user device, along withlocation information that is associated with a location at which thoseone or more applications should be automatically provisioned.

In an embodiment, block 402 may be performed by the user device and/orthe system provider device automatically and without any explicitinstructions from the user. For example, the user device and/or systemprovider device may monitor the use of applications on the user deviceand, when applications are used, retrieve location information thatindicates the location at which those applications are being used. Useof an application may include, for example, launching that application,performing an action on that application (e.g., making a payment using apayment application, playing a playlist using a music application,etc.), communicating using that application (e.g., posting an imageusing a social media application), and/or a variety of other applicationuses known in the art. Location information may include locationcoordinates (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates from aGPS device in the user device), communications associated with alocation at which the application is being used (e.g., beacon systemcommunications from at the physical merchant location 100, wirelesscommunications from a car or home, etc.), and/or a variety of otherinformation that may be used to determine that an application is beingused in association with a merchant, a physical merchant location, adevice of a user, and/or any other location.

Over time, the user device may determine (or communicate to a systemprovider device, which then determines) locations at which one or moreapplications on the user device are commonly used. In some embodiments,upon determining that a particular application has been used at the samelocation a predetermined numbers of times, the user device may associatethat location (via location information) with an identifier for thatparticular application (via application provisioning instructions) in adatabase. As such, applications provisioning instructions that identifyapplications on the user device may be associated with locations atwhich those applications should be provided based on previous uses ofthose applications at those locations by the user. In other embodiments,the automatic identification of applications associated with locationsmay be based on the time of day or year (e.g., a user may utilizemap/direction applications during rush hour, weather applications whenthey are outside during a rainy season, etc.)

In some embodiments, application provisioning instructions may beautomatically determined by the user device and/or the system providerdevice based on application actions by other users (e.g., users notassociated with the user device). For example, the system providerdevice may determine other users that utilize the applicationprovisioning system that are associated with the user or that havesimilar traits as the user (e.g., other users that are friends of theuser through a social network, other users that are contacts of theuser, other users in the same age range as the user, other users in thesame income range as the user, other users having the same buying habitsas the user), which may allow the system provider device to identifyapplication used by those other users at particular locations andprovide them to the user when they are in those or similar locations. Assuch, a user entering a restaurant they have never entered before may beautomatically provided a restaurant review application and a restaurantspecific application due to their friends typically using thoseapplications when they enter the restaurant, or due to other users withsimilar traits typically using those applications when they enter therestaurant.

In an embodiment, application provisioning instructions may also includethe manner in which the applications should be provided. For example,application provisioning instructions for an application may includeinstructions to launch an application such that it may be immediatelyused by the user, to provide an application icon for display to the user(e.g., in a pop-up window, on a lock screen of the user device, etc.)such that the user may quickly launch the application associated withthat application icon, to provide an application directed to anapplication subsection (e.g., a payments page of a payment application,a particular website on an Internet browser application, etc.), and/orany other details that affect how the application is provisioned to theuser. As such, at block 402, the user device and/or system providerdevice may not only detect the use of the application at the location,but particulars about that use (e.g., what subsection of the applicationwas used, where an Internet browser application was directed to, etc.),and those details may be stored as part of the application provisioninginstructions that are associated with the location information in thedatabase.

Referring now to FIGS. 5a, 5b, and 5c , an embodiment of a user device500 is illustrated to provide examples of user-provided applicationprovisioning instructions. As discussed above, those user-providedapplication provisioning instructions may be provided and stored in theuser device, or provided through the user device to the system providerdevice. Furthermore, while the application provisioning instructions arediscussed below as being provided by the user, one of skill in the artin possession of the present disclosure will recognize how theapplication provisioning instructions discussed in FIGS. 5a, 5b, and 5cmay be determined automatically by the user device (as discussed above)while remaining in the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5a illustrates the user device 500 including a display 502displaying an application provisioning settings screen 504 that includesan application identifying section 506 and a plurality of applicationprovisioning instructions 508. As discussed below, the applicationlaunch settings screen 504 (and others like it) may be provided inresponse to a number of scenarios. In the example discussed below, theapplication launch settings screen 504 may be part of the settings forthe application, the settings for the user device 500, the settings foran auto-provisioning application, and/or other settings provisioningscenarios known in the art. The application identifying section 506includes an application icon and identification information about anapplication that is included on the user device 500 and that is to beprovided when the user device is detected as being in a particularlocation. The application provisioning instructions 508 in theillustrated embodiment include an instruction to automatically launchthe application when a compatible system is detected (e.g., when acommunication with a merchant device indicates that the merchantsupports the application), an instruction to automatically launch theapplication as part of an application group (e.g., a payment applicationgroup in the illustrated embodiment that may include a plurality ofpayment related applications that are launched in locations where theymay be used with a merchant), an instruction to provide the applicationas a quick launch application (e.g., provide an application icon for theapplication in a quick launch window, discussed in further detailbelow), and an instruction to suppress the automatic launch of theapplication at particular merchants (e.g., merchant 508 a in theillustrated embodiment).

The application provisioning instructions 508 illustrated in FIG. 5ainclude just a few examples of application provisioning instructionsthat may be used to define how the application is provided on the userdevice 500 based on its location, and may be selected by the user tohave those application provisioning instructions stored in a database.Using the specific example of the payment application illustrated inFIG. 5a , if the user would like the payment application to be launchedat any merchant that supports it (e.g., accepts payments via the paymentapplication), that user may select to have the payment applicationautomatically launched when compatible merchant systems are detected(e.g., a merchant device communication indicating that that applicationis supported). If the user has an application group of paymentapplications that are launched at one or more locations (i.e., accordingto another set of application group provisioning instructions), the usermay selected to automatically launch the payment application as part ofthat application group. If the user would like the application icon forthe payment application presented to them (e.g., on a lock screen of theuser device 500, discussed below) when they are detected at a location,they may select to have the application provided as a quick-launchapplication. If the user is often in a merchant location at which thepayment application would be automatically provided (e.g., according toother application provisioning instructions), but does not use thepayment application at that merchant location, the user may select tohave the provisioning of that application suppressed at that particularmerchant location. Thus, one of skill in the art will recognize how auser may mix and match any of a variety of application provisioninginstructions to define precisely how the payment application may beautomatically provided on the user device 500.

FIG. 5b illustrates the user device 500 displaying an application launchsettings screen 510 that includes a location identifying section 512 anda plurality of application provisioning instructions 514. As discussedbelow, the application launch settings screen 510 (and others like it)may be provided in response to a number of scenarios. In the examplediscussed below, the application launch settings screen 504 may be partof the settings for a merchant application, the settings for the userdevice 500, the settings for an auto-provisioning application, and/orother settings provisioning scenarios known in the art. Furthermore, theapplication launch settings screen 510 may be provided in response to arequest from the user, in response to communications with a merchantdevice (e.g., via the beacon system discussed above), and/or in responseto any communications discussed herein with regard to the applicationprovisioning system. The location identifying section 512 includes amerchant icon and identification information about a merchant that isassociated with location information and at which applications are to beprovided when the user device is detected as being at the merchantlocation. The application provisioning instructions 514 include aninstruction to automatically launch a plurality of applications (e.g.,the payment application directed to a pay-to screen for the merchant, anInternet browser directed to a menu of the merchant, and a cameraapplication directed to capturing and posting images to a social mediasite) when the user is determined to be at the merchant location, aswell as an instruction to provide the application as a quick launchapplication (e.g., provide an application icon for the application in aquick launch window, discussed in further detail below), and aninstruction to only automatically launch the applications at themerchant during particular times (e.g., between 11 am and 2 pm Mondaythrough Friday in the illustrated embodiment).

The application provisioning instructions 514 illustrated in FIG. 5binclude just a few examples of application provisioning instructionsthat may be used to define how applications are provided on the userdevice 500 when the user is at the merchant location, and may beselected by the user to have those application provisioning instructionsstored in a database. Using the specific example of the restaurantmerchant illustrated in FIG. 5b , the application provisioninginstructions provide for the automatic launching of a paymentapplication, an Internet browser application, and a camera application,with each directed to a merchant specific subsection of that applicationthat is used by the user when at the merchant location. As illustrated,the user may add additional applications to be launched at the merchantlocation using an add application button 514 a, may select to have theapplications provided as quick-launch applications, and/or only havethose applications launched when the user is at the merchant location atparticular times. Thus, one of skill in the art will recognize how auser may mix and match any of a variety of application provisioninginstructions to define precisely how applications may be automaticallyprovided on the user device 500 when at the merchant location.

FIG. 5c illustrates the user device 500 displaying an application launchsettings screen 516 that includes a device identifying section 518 and aplurality of application provisioning instructions 520. As discussedbelow, the application launch settings screen 516 (and others like it)may be provided in response to a number of scenarios. In the examplediscussed below, the application launch settings screen 504 may be partof the settings for a device (e.g., other than the user device 500),settings for the user device 500, the settings for an auto-provisioningapplication, and/or other settings provisioning scenarios known in theart. Furthermore, the application launch settings screen 516 may beprovided in response to a request from the user, in response tocommunications with the device (e.g., the user's car in thisembodiment), and/or in response to any communications discussed hereinwith regard to the application provisioning system. The deviceidentifying section 518 includes a device icon and identificationinformation about the device (both related to a car of the user in thisembodiment). The application provisioning instructions 520 include aninstruction to automatically launch a plurality of applications (e.g.,the auto-lock application directed to remotely controlling features ofthe car, a music player application directed to one or more musicplaylists, and a map application directed to a directions section forfinding directions between a plurality of locations) when the user isdetermined to be co-located with the car, as well as an instruction toprovide the application as a quick launch application (e.g., provide anapplication icon for quick launch, discussed in further detail below).

The application provisioning instructions 520 illustrated in FIG. 5cinclude just a few examples of application provisioning instructionsthat may be used to define how applications are provided on the userdevice 500 when the user is co-located with another device, and may beselected by the user to have those application provisioning instructionsstored in a database. Using the specific example of the car illustratedin FIG. 5c , the application provisioning instructions provide for theautomatic launching of a car feature control application, a music playerapplication, and a map application, each directed to a particularsubsection of that application that is used by the user when co-locatedwith the car. As illustrated, the user may add additional applicationsto be launched when the user is co-located with the car using an addapplication button 520 a, and/or may select to have the applicationsprovided as quick-launch applications. Thus, one of skill in the artwill recognize how a user may mix and match any of a variety ofapplication provisioning instructions to define precisely howapplications may be automatically provided on the user device 500 whenusing their car.

In other, non-illustrated examples, application provisioninginstructions may be provided for a user's home and/or a user's office,and such locations may be determined, for example, by detecting when theuser device logs into a local area network provided at that location. Inanother non-illustrated example, application provisioning instructionsmay be provided for particular events (e.g., sporting events, musicevents, etc.), and such locations may be detected, for example, based onsocial media posts by the user including mentions of the event and/orimages from the event. In another non-illustrated example, applicationprovisioning instructions may be provided for parks or other natureareas, and such locations may be detected, for example, by reviewing acalendar of the user to determine when the user is planning on beinglocated at the park or other nature area.

Thus, a wide variety of different types of application provisioninginstructions may be associated with a wide variety of different types oflocation information in the database at block 402. As discussed infurther detail below, location information associated with anapplication identified by application provisioning instructions mayinclude any location that includes an application compatible system(e.g., that communicates via a merchant device of a merchant thatsupports that application), location coordinates, merchant names,merchant types, device names, device types, social media posts from agiven location, calendar appointments that indicate the location, etc.As such, “location information” is not limited to geographiccoordinates, but rather refers to locations at which the associatedapplications are determined to be useful for the user, and as describedbelow may be identified via any distinguishable identifier or mannerknown in the art.

The method 100 then proceeds to block 404 where the user device isdetected at a location included in the location information. In anembodiment, the user device receives or retrieves location data or someother location communication, compares that location data/communicationto the location information that was stored in the database in block402, and determines that the location data/communication is associatedwith a location included in the location information in the database.While several examples of location data/communications are providedbelow that may be used to detect that the user device is at a locationincluded in the location information, one of skill in the art inpossession of the present disclosure will recognize that other locationdata/communications may be used to determine that a user is at alocation while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 6, an embodiment of a user 600 including a userdevice (e.g., the user device 500 discussed above) that is located atthe physical merchant location 100 discussed above is illustrated. Insome embodiments, the user device of the user 600 may retrieve locationdata at block 404 from a location determination device in the userdevice, compare that location data to the location information in thedatabase of the user device, and determine that the location datamatches a location in the location information. In some embodiments, theuser device of the user 600 may receive location communications at block404 from a merchant device at the physical merchant location 100 (e.g.,the beacon system discussed above, a Wi-fi communication system, aBluetooth communication system etc.), compare that locationcommunication to the location information in the database of the userdevice, and determine that the location communication matches a locationin the location information. For example, the merchant may communicate amerchant identifier, a merchant type, an advertisement that the merchantsupports one or more applications, and/or a variety of other informationthat may allow the user device to determine that the physical merchantlocation and/or the merchant are included in the location information inthe database of the user device.

In some embodiments, the user device of the user 600 may receivelocation communications at block 404 from a device that is incommunication with the user device (e.g., a communication system in acar, a home, etc.), compare that location communication to the locationinformation in the database of the user device, and determine that thelocation communication matches a location in the location information.For example, the communication system in a car or home may communicate acar or home identifier, an advertisement that the car or home supportsone or more applications, and/or a variety of other information that mayallow the user device to determine that the car or home is included inlocation information in the database of the user device.

In yet other embodiments, other types of location data and/or locationcommunication may be used to determine that the user device is locatedat a location that is included in the location information at block 404.For example, as discussed above, information associated with local areanetwork connections, social media posts by the user, the user'scalendar, and/or other sources may be utilized to determine or infer thelocation of the user, and thus be used by themselves or in conjunctionwith the other location data/communications discussed above to determinethe location of a user device, confirm a location of a user device,and/or other provide to some degree of confidence that the user deviceis at a location included in the location information in the database.

The method 400 then proceeds to block 406 where application(s) areidentified that are defined by the application provisioninginstructions. In an embodiment, the user device uses the location thatwas determined to be included in the location information at block 404to determine one or more application provisioning instructions that areassociated with that location and that identify one or moreapplications. As discussed above, any number of applications may beassociated with a location in the application provisioning system, andthus while a plurality of applications are described and illustratedbelow as being associated with each location, a single application maybe associated with a location and automatically provided according tothe method 100 while remaining within the scope of the presentdisclosure.

The identification of the application(s) defined by the applicationprovisioning instructions that are associated with the location detectedat block 404 may also include determining whether any other detailsincluded in those application provisioning instructions. In anembodiment, at block 406, the user device may check whether the user isat a merchant for which application provisioning is suppressed (e.g.,according to the instruction discussed above with reference to FIG. 5a). For example, a communication from a merchant device at the physicalmerchant location 100 may indicate that the payment application issupported and thus that the user is at a location in which the paymentapplication should be automatically provisioned, but GPS coordinatesfrom the user device may indicate that the user device is at a specificmerchant location that the user has instructed to suppress provision ofthe payment application, and thus the payment application will not beidentified at block 406. In another embodiment, at block 406, the userdevice may check whether a current time period allows the automaticprovisioning of one or more applications. For example, a user device maydetermine it is at a location associated with a merchant for whichapplications should be automatically provided, but a user may haveprovided instructions to only provision those applications during aspecific time period (as described above with reference to FIG. 5b ),and thus the applications will not be identified at block 406 if thecurrent time period does not fall within the user-defined time period.Thus, applications provisioning instructions that identify applicationsthat should be provisioned at a location may also include information onthe specific situations in which those applications should beprovisioned that must be checked by the user device (in some situationsby gathering other data). Similarly, application provisioninginstructions may identify a subsection of the applications that shouldbe provisioned in an identified application, and/or any otherinformation that describes how the application is provisioned.

In addition, in some embodiments, an application may be provided to theuser device at a location and immediately installed on the user devicesuch that the completed installation of that application identifies thatapplication at block 406. For example, a user may configure their userdevice to allow applications to be provided and automatically installedat particular locations and/or from particular merchants. As such, amerchant device may provide an application to the user device upon theuser device entering the merchant location, and the user device mayinstall that application such that it is identified at block 406 and maybe provided at block 408.

The method 400 then proceeds to block 408 where application(s) areprovided on the user device. In an embodiment, the user device mayprovide the applications that were identified at block 406 for displayin a variety of manners. For example, as discussed in further detailbelow, the user device may provide each of the plurality of applicationsat block 408 by launching each of the applications on the user devicesuch that the user may immediately use those applications. In anotherexample, as discussed in further detail below, the user device mayprovide each of the plurality of applications at block 408 by providingan application icon for each of the applications for display on the userdevice such that the user may select the applications they would like touse. In another example, as discussed in further detail below, the userdevice may provide each of the plurality of applications at block 408 byconfiguring those applications such that the user may quickly select(e.g., via voice instructions) the applications they would like to use.While a few specific examples are provided below of the provisioning ofapplications on the user device, one of skill in the art will recognizethat applications may be provided on the user device in a variety ofmanners while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.Furthermore, while the user device provisioning the application below isillustrated and described as a mobile phone or tablet device, in otherembodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be foundparticularly useful on wearable “smart” devices such as glasses,watches, and/or a variety of other wearable computing systems known inthe art.

Referring now to FIG. 7a , an embodiment of the user device 500providing an application for display is illustrated. The embodimentillustrated in FIG. 7a continues with the example provided in FIGS. 5band 6 in which a plurality of applications were associated with amerchant or physical merchant location, and the user was detected asbeing located in the physical merchant location 100. As such, in FIG. 7a, the user device 500 is illustrated providing a payment applicationscreen 700 for a payment application that has been launched on the userdevice and directed to a merchant specific payment screen (i.e., for themerchant associated with the physical merchant location in FIG. 6). Thepayment application screen 700 includes a payment application identifier702 that identifies the payment application that was launched, amerchant identifier 704 identifying the merchant (or merchant physicallocation) for which the payment application was launched, a discountcoupon 706 provided in the payment application for the merchant, and apayment section 708 that the user may select to make a payment to themerchant.

Referring now to FIG. 7b , an embodiment of the user device 500providing an application for display is illustrated. The embodimentillustrated in FIG. 7a continues with the example provided in FIGS. 5b ,6, and 7 a in which a plurality of applications were associated with amerchant or physical merchant location, the user was detected as beinglocated in the physical merchant location, and the payment applicationscreen 700 of FIG. 7a was launched as part of the provisioning of afirst application. In FIG. 7b , the user device 500 is illustratedproviding an Internet browser application screen 710 for an Internetbrowser application that has been launched on the user device 500 anddirected to a merchant specific website (i.e., for the merchantassociated with the physical merchant location in FIG. 6). The Internetbrowser application screen 710 includes an Internet browser applicationidentifier 712 that identifies the Internet browser application that waslaunched, along with a merchant restaurant website 714 that allows theuser to navigate (via webpages accessed through the website) throughdifferent menu elements to view, and in some cases select, items forpurchase. As such, the merchant restaurant website 714 includes a foodlink 714 a to food items available at the merchant, a drink link 714 bto drink items available at the merchant, and a special link 714 c todiscounted items available at the merchant. In some embodiments, theInternet browser application screen 710 may be specifically associatedwith a universal resource locator (URL) for the merchant, while in otherembodiments, the Internet browser application screen 710 may bedetermined by the user device by searching for and providing a menu webpage provided by the identified merchant (e.g., Internet browserapplication provisioning instructions may include instructions to searchfor and provide the Internet browser application directed to the menuwebpage for a merchant identified at a location).

As indicated in FIG. 5b , upon being detected as located in the physicalmerchant location 100, the user device 500 may also provide a cameraapplication screen for a camera application that has been directed tocapturing images and posting them on a social media profile. As such,the user device 500 may automatically launch each of the paymentapplication (providing the payment application screen 700), the Internetbrowser application (providing the Internet browser application screen710), and the camera application (providing the camera applicationscreen) when the user device 500 detects that it is located at themerchant and/or in the physical merchant location 100. In someembodiments, the application(s) launched at block 408 may be launchedtraditionally such that they are available for use on the user device500 similarly to conventionally launched applications (e.g., thoselaunched by a user selecting an application icon). In some embodiments,the application(s) launched at block 408 may be launched such that theyare prioritized relative to other applications that are open on userdevice 500 (e.g., available “on top” or otherwise in a prioritizedposition relative to other applications currently available on the userdevice 500).

In some embodiments, the application(s) launched at block 408 may belaunched such that the user may quickly switch between each of thoseapplications. For example, the applications may be launched at block 408such that the user may “swipe” (i.e., a directional touch input known inthe art that provides resulting movement of a displayed graphicalelement) between each of the applications to switch between using thelaunched applications quickly. Such “swipe” functionality may beimplemented, for example, by providing each of the applications with aportion (e.g., the section including the payment application identifier702 on the payment application screen 700, the section including theInternet browser application identifier 712 on the Internet browserapplication screen 710, and a similar section on the camera application)that allows a user “swipe” action to move quickly between theapplications that were launched at block 408. While an example of“swipe” action to quickly move between launched applications has beendescribed, any user input may provide similar functionality, includingthe selection of graphical arrow buttons, hardware buttons on the userdevice, and/or a variety of other input methods known in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 8, an embodiment of the user device 500 providinga plurality of applications for display is illustrated. The embodimentillustrated in FIG. 8 continues with the example provided in FIG. 5c inwhich a plurality of applications were associated with a device (theuser's car) and instructed to “quick launch”, and the user is detectedas being located in or near their car. As such, in FIG. 8 the userdevice 500 is providing a quick-launch window 800 that, in theillustrated example, has been provided as a “pop-up” window over a lockscreen 802 on the user device 500 (e.g., a screen provided by anoperating system on the user device that regulates immediate access tothe user device by requiring the user to perform an action such as agesture, a biometric authentication action, or entering a password inorder to gain access to the user device 500). The quick-launch window800 includes a quick launch message 804 that informs the user that theyhave been detected at their car and may select one of their quick launchapplications to begin using it, as well as a first application icon 806for the auto-lock application (which may be directed to remotelycontrolling features of the car as discussed above), a secondapplication icon 808 for the music player application (which may bedirected to one or more music playlists as discussed above), and a thirdapplication icon 810 for a map application (which may be directed to adirections section for finding directions between a plurality oflocations as discussed above).

Thus, applications may be provided for display in a quick-launch modethat results in the provisioning of application icons for thoseapplications such that the user may select any of the applications iconsto launch their associated applications and being using them. While thequick launch window 800 has been illustrated and described as beingprovided over a lock screen 802 on the user device 500, similar quicklaunch windows may be provided over a home screen on the user device(e.g., a screen that provides access to application icons forapplications included on the user device 500), over an applicationcurrently being used on the user device 500, and/or in a variety ofother situations known in the art.

Furthermore, applications provided at block 408, instead of beingprovided by launching the applications or providing applications iconsfor display, may be presented in other manners that allow for the quickaccess and use of those applications by the user. In an embodiment, upondetecting the user at the location at block 404 and identifying theapplications associated with that location, the user device may providethe applications in a voice launchable configuration on the user device.For example, each of the applications associated with the location atwhich the user has been detected may then be configured such that theuser may use a voice activated command to launch that application (e.g.,a voice command such as “launch music application”). Such examples mayinclude providing an audible indication that the applications areavailable for voice-activated launch (e.g., “your car-relatedapplications are available for voice launch”), activation of a voicerecognition system for receiving the voice activated launch commands,etc. Similarly, the applications may be configured in a variety of otherlaunchable configurations such that they may be launched using hardwarebuttons on the user device, hardware buttons on a connected device(e.g., the user's car discussed above), etc.

The method 400 may then proceed to optional block 410 whereapplication(s) are closed. In an embodiment, subsequent to providing theapplications at block 408, the user device may monitor a variety offactors to determine whether to close the applications at optional block410. For example, the user device 500 may monitor its location todetermine whether it is no longer at the location detected at block 404and, if so, automatically close the applications that were provided atblock 408. In another example, the user device 500 may monitor the timepassed subsequent to launching the applications at block 408 and, ifthat time exceeds a predetermined amount of time, automatically closethe applications that were provided at block 408. Closing applicationsmay include closing a launched application, closing a quick launchwindow, reconfiguring applications and/or the user device such that theapplications may not be voice launched, etc. While a few examples havebeen provided, one of skill in the art in possession of the presentdisclosure will recognize that the user device may automatically closeany applications provided at block 408 in response to a variety ofsituations while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.Furthermore, in other embodiments, optional block 410 may be skipped andthe applications provided at block 408 may not be closed following block408.

Thus, application provisioning systems and methods have been describedthat automatically provision applications on a user device based on alocation of that user device. The systems and methods may identifyapplications that are associated with a location in which the user islocated, and automatically launch those applications or provide theirassociated application icons for display so that a user does not need tosearch through the user device for the applications they would like touse. As such, the user may set up (or the user device may automaticallydetermine) which applications on the user device are most useful to theuser at different locations, and present only those applications to theuser for quick and easy use. As such, the determination and use ofapplications at any particular location is greatly simplified for theuser, resulting in a higher likelihood that the user will use each ofthe applications they need at any given location.

Referring now to FIG. 9, an embodiment of a network-based system 900 forimplementing one or more processes described herein is illustrated. Asshown, the network-based system 900 may comprise or implement aplurality of servers and/or software components that operate to performvarious methodologies in accordance with the described embodiments.Exemplary servers may include, for example, stand-alone andenterprise-class servers operating a server OS such as a MICROSOFT® OS,a UNIX® OS, a LINUX® OS, or other suitable server-based OS. It can beappreciated that the servers illustrated in FIG. 9 may be deployed inother ways and that the operations performed and/or the servicesprovided by such servers may be combined or separated for a givenimplementation and may be performed by a greater number or fewer numberof servers. One or more servers may be operated and/or maintained by thesame or different entities.

The embodiment of the networked system 900 illustrated in FIG. 9includes a plurality of user devices 902, a plurality of merchantdevices 904, a plurality of beacon devices 906, a plurality of otherdevices 908 (e.g., the users car or home discussed above), a paymentservice provider device 910, and/or a system provider device 912 incommunication over one or more networks 914. The user devices 902 and/orother devices 908 may be the user devices and/or other devices discussedabove and may be operated by the users discussed above. The merchantdevices 904 and/or beacon devices 906 may be the merchant devices and/orbeacon devices discussed above and may be operated by the merchantsdiscussed above. The payment service provider device 910 may be thepayment service provider devices discussed above and may be operated bya payment service provider such as, for example, PayPal Inc. of SanJose, Calif. The system provider devices 912 may be the system providerdevices discussed above and may be operated by the system providersdiscussed above.

The user devices 902, merchant devices 904, beacon devices 906, otherdevices 908, payment service provider device 910, and/or system providerdevice 912 may each include one or more processors, memories, and otherappropriate components for executing instructions such as program codeand/or data stored on one or more computer readable mediums to implementthe various applications, data, and steps described herein. For example,such instructions may be stored in one or more computer readable mediumssuch as memories or data storage devices internal and/or external tovarious components of the system 900, and/or accessible over the network914.

The network 914 may be implemented as a single network or a combinationof multiple networks. For example, in various embodiments, the network914 may include the Internet and/or one or more intranets, landlinenetworks, wireless networks, and/or other appropriate types of networks.

The user devices 902 may be implemented using any appropriatecombination of hardware and/or software configured for wired and/orwireless communication over network 914. For example, in one embodiment,the user devices 902 may be implemented as a personal computer of a userin communication with the Internet. In other embodiments, the userdevices 19902 may be a smart phone, personal digital assistant (PDA),laptop computer, and/or other types of computing devices.

The user devices 902 may include one or more browser applications whichmay be used, for example, to provide a convenient interface to permitthe user to browse information available over the network 914. Forexample, in one embodiment, the browser application may be implementedas a web browser configured to view information available over theInternet.

The user devices 902 may also include one or more toolbar applicationswhich may be used, for example, to provide user-side processing forperforming desired tasks in response to operations selected by the user.In one embodiment, the toolbar application may display a user interfacein connection with the browser application.

The user devices 902 may further include other applications as may bedesired in particular embodiments to provide desired features to theuser devices 192. In particular, the other applications may include apayment application for payments assisted by a payment service providerthrough the payment service provider device 910. The other applicationsmay also include security applications for implementing customer-sidesecurity features, programmatic customer applications for interfacingwith appropriate application programming interfaces (APIs) over thenetwork 914, or other types of applications. Email and/or textapplications may also be included, which allow user payer to send andreceive emails and/or text messages through the network 914. The userdevices 902 includes one or more user and/or device identifiers whichmay be implemented, for example, as operating system registry entries,cookies associated with the browser application, identifiers associatedwith hardware of the user devices 902, or other appropriate identifiers,such as a phone number. In one embodiment, the user identifier may beused by the payment service provider device 910 to associate the userwith a particular account as further described herein.

The merchant devices 904 may be maintained, for example, by aconventional or on-line merchant, conventional or digital goods seller,individual seller, and/or application developer offering variousproducts and/or services in exchange for payment to be receivedconventionally or over the network 914. In this regard, the merchantdevices 904 may include a database identifying available products and/orservices (e.g., collectively referred to as items) which may be madeavailable for viewing and purchase by the user.

The merchant devices 904 also include a checkout application which maybe configured to facilitate the purchase by the payer of items. Thecheckout application may be configured to accept payment informationfrom the customer through the user devices 902 and/or from the paymentservice provider through the payment service provider device 910 overthe network 914.

Referring now to FIG. 10, an embodiment of a user device 1000 isillustrated. The user device 1000 may be the user devices discussedabove. The user device 1000 includes a chassis 1002 having a display1004 and an input device including the display 1004 and a plurality ofinput buttons 1006. One of skill in the art will recognize that the userdevice 1000 is a portable or mobile phone including a touch screen inputdevice and a plurality of input buttons that allow the functionalitydiscussed above with reference to the methods above. However, a varietyof other portable/mobile user devices and/or desktop user devices may beused in the methods discussed above without departing from the scope ofthe present disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 11, an embodiment of a wearable device 1100 isillustrated. The wearable device 1100 may be the may be the wearableuser devices, discussed above. The wearable device 1100 includes a frame1102 having a computing chassis 1104 that extends from the frame 1102, adisplay device 1106 that extends from the computing chassis 1104, amicrophone 1108 located on the computing chassis 1104, and a camera 1110located on the computing chassis 1104. One of skill in the art willrecognize that the wearable merchant device 1100 is a mobile wearablemerchant device such as, for example, Google Glass® available fromGoogle Inc. of Mountain View, Calif. that may provide a user with thefunctionality discussed above with reference to the methods discussedabove. However, a variety of other mobile wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches) may be used in the methods discussed above without departingfrom the scope of the present disclosure

Referring now to FIG. 12, an embodiment of a computer system 1200suitable for implementing, for example, the user devices, merchantdevices, beacon devices, other devices, payment service provider device,and/or system provider device, is illustrated. It should be appreciatedthat other devices utilized by users, merchants, beacon devices, otherdevices, payment service providers, and/or system providers in thesystem discussed above may be implemented as the computer system 1200 ina manner as follows.

In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure,computer system 1200, such as a computer and/or a network server,includes a bus 1202 or other communication mechanism for communicatinginformation, which interconnects subsystems and components, such as aprocessing component 1204 (e.g., processor, micro-controller, digitalsignal processor (DSP), etc.), a system memory component 1206 (e.g.,RAM), a static storage component 1208 (e.g., ROM), a disk drivecomponent 1210 (e.g., magnetic or optical), a network interfacecomponent 1212 (e.g., modem or Ethernet card), a display component 1214(e.g., CRT or LCD), an input component 1218 (e.g., keyboard, keypad, orvirtual keyboard), a cursor control component 1220 (e.g., mouse,pointer, or trackball), a location determination component 1222 (e.g., aGlobal Positioning System (GPS) device as illustrated, a cell towertriangulation device, and/or a variety of other location determinationdevices known in the art), and/or a camera component 1223. In oneimplementation, the disk drive component 1210 may comprise a databasehaving one or more disk drive components.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the computersystem 1200 performs specific operations by the processor 1204 executingone or more sequences of instructions contained in the memory component1206, such as described herein with respect to the user devices,merchant devices, beacon devices, other devices, payment serviceprovider devices, and/or system provider devices. Such instructions maybe read into the system memory component 1206 from another computerreadable medium, such as the static storage component 1208 or the diskdrive component 1210. In other embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may beused in place of or in combination with software instructions toimplement the present disclosure.

Logic may be encoded in a computer readable medium, which may refer toany medium that participates in providing instructions to the processor1204 for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but notlimited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media.In one embodiment, the computer readable medium is non-transitory. Invarious implementations, non-volatile media includes optical or magneticdisks, such as the disk drive component 1210, volatile media includesdynamic memory, such as the system memory component 1206, andtransmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire, and fiberoptics, including wires that comprise the bus 1202. In one example,transmission media may take the form of acoustic or light waves, such asthose generated during radio wave and infrared data communications.

Some common forms of computer readable media includes, for example,floppy disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magneticmedium, CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, anyother physical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM,FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, carrier wave, or anyother medium from which a computer is adapted to read. In oneembodiment, the computer readable media is non-transitory.

In various embodiments of the present disclosure, execution ofinstruction sequences to practice the present disclosure may beperformed by the computer system 1200. In various other embodiments ofthe present disclosure, a plurality of the computer systems 1200 coupledby a communication link 1224 to the network 914 (e.g., such as a LAN,WLAN, PTSN—, and/or various other wired or wireless networks, includingtelecommunications, mobile, and cellular phone networks) may performinstruction sequences to practice the present disclosure in coordinationwith one another.

The computer system 1200 may transmit and receive messages, data,information and instructions, including one or more programs (i.e.,application code) through the communication link 1224 and the networkinterface component 1212. The network interface component 1212 mayinclude an antenna, either separate or integrated, to enabletransmission and reception via the communication link 1224. Receivedprogram code may be executed by processor 1204 as received and/or storedin disk drive component 1210 or some other non-volatile storagecomponent for execution.

Referring now to FIG. 13, an embodiment of a user device or systemprovider device 1300 is illustrated. In an embodiment, the device 1300may be the user devices and/or system provider devices discussed above.The device 1300 includes a communication engine 1302 that is coupled tothe network 914 and to an application provisioning engine 1304 that iscoupled to a database 1306. The communication engine 1302 may besoftware or instructions stored on a computer-readable medium thatallows the device 1300 to send and receive information over the network914. The application provisioning engine 1304 may be software orinstructions stored on a computer-readable medium that is configured toassociate application provisioning instructions with locationinformation in the database 1306, detect a user device is in a locationincluded in the location information, identify applications defined bythe application provisioning instructions, and provide applications onthe user device, as well as provide any of the other functionality thatis discussed above. While the database 1306 has been illustrated aslocated in the device 1300, one of skill in the art will recognize thatit may include multiple database and may be connected to the applicationprovisioning engine 1304 through the network 914 without departing fromthe scope of the present disclosure.

Where applicable, various embodiments provided by the present disclosuremay be implemented using hardware, software, or combinations of hardwareand software. Also, where applicable, the various hardware componentsand/or software components set forth herein may be combined intocomposite components comprising software, hardware, and/or both withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure. Where applicable,the various hardware components and/or software components set forthherein may be separated into sub-components comprising software,hardware, or both without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. In addition, where applicable, it is contemplated thatsoftware components may be implemented as hardware components andvice-versa.

Software, in accordance with the present disclosure, such as programcode and/or data, may be stored on one or more computer readablemediums. It is also contemplated that software identified herein may beimplemented using one or more general purpose or specific purposecomputers and/or computer systems, networked and/or otherwise. Whereapplicable, the ordering of various steps described herein may bechanged, combined into composite steps, and/or separated into sub-stepsto provide features described herein.

The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present disclosureto the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. As such, itis contemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modificationsto the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or impliedherein, are possible in light of the disclosure. For example, the aboveembodiments have focused on merchants and users; however, a user orconsumer can pay, or otherwise interact with any type of recipient,including charities and individuals. The payment does not have toinvolve a purchase, but may be a loan, a charitable contribution, agift, etc. Thus, merchant as used herein can also include charities,individuals, and any other entity or person receiving a payment from acustomer. Having thus described embodiments of the present disclosure,persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes may bemade in form and detail without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is limited only by the claims.

1. (canceled)
 2. A computing device comprising: one or morecomputer-readable memories storing program instructions; and one or moreprocessors configured to execute the program instructions to cause thesystem to perform operations comprising: determining that the computingdevice is in a first location; in response to the determining that thecomputing device is in the first location, determining one or moreapplication provisioning instructions that are associated with the firstlocation; determining one or more applications that correspond to theone or more application provisioning instructions associated with thefirst location; and in response to the determining the one or moreapplications that correspond to the one or more application provisioninstructions, providing the one or more applications for use on thecomputing device.
 3. The computing device of claim 2, the operationsfurther comprising: monitoring the usage of the computing device anddetermining that the one or more applications have been utilized by auser of the computing device in the first location at least a thresholdamount of times; and in response to determining that the one or moreapplications have been utilized by the user of the computing device inthe first location at least the threshold amount times, associating theone or more application provisioning instructions with the firstlocation.
 4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the determiningthat the one or more applications have been utilized by the user of thecomputing device in the first location includes determining that the oneor more applications have been launched on the computing device and anaction has been taken within the one or more applications while thecomputing device was located in the first location.
 5. The computingdevice of claim 2, the operations further comprising: receiving input toassociate one or more identifiers corresponding to the one or moreapplications with the first location; and in response to the receivingthe input to associate the one or more identifiers corresponding to theone or more applications with the first location, associating the one ormore application provisioning instructions with the first location. 6.The computing device of claim 2, the operations further comprising:monitoring the usage of one or more other computing devices of one ormore other users, wherein the one or more other users correspond to theuser of the computing device; determining that the one or more otherusers have utilized the one or more applications in the first locationat least a threshold amount of times; in response to the determiningthat the one or more other users have utilized the one or moreapplications in the first location at least the threshold amount oftimes, associating the one or more application provisioning instructionswith the first location.
 7. The computing device of claim 2, wherein theproviding the one or more applications for use on the computing deviceincludes launching the one or more application on the computing device.8. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the providing the one ormore applications for use on the computing device includes providing oneor more application icons for the one or more applications, wherein theone or more application icons are selectable.
 9. A method comprising:determining that the computing device is in a first location; inresponse to the determining that the computing device is in the firstlocation, determining one or more application provisioning instructionsthat are associated with the first location; determining one or moreapplications that correspond to the one or more application provisioninginstructions associated with the first location; and in response to thedetermining the one or more applications that correspond to the one ormore application provision instructions, providing the one or moreapplications for use on the computing device.
 10. The method of claim 9,further comprising: monitoring the usage of the computing device anddetermining that the one or more applications have been utilized by auser of the computing device in the first location at least a thresholdamount of times; and in response to determining that the one or moreapplications have been utilized by the user of the computing device inthe first location at least the threshold amount times, associating theone or more application provisioning instructions with the firstlocation.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining that theone or more applications have been utilized by the user of the computingdevice in the first location includes determining that the one or moreapplications have been launched on the computing device and an actionhas been taken within the one or more applications while the computingdevice was located in the first location.
 12. The method of claim 9,further comprising: receiving input to associate one or more identifierscorresponding to the one or more applications with the first location;and in response to the receiving the input to associate the one or moreidentifiers corresponding to the one or more applications with the firstlocation, associating the one or more application provisioninginstructions with the first location.
 13. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising: monitoring the usage of one or more other computing devicesof one or more other users, wherein the one or more other userscorrespond to the user of the computing device; determining that the oneor more other users have utilized the one or more applications in thefirst location at least a threshold amount of times; in response to thedetermining that the one or more other users have utilized the one ormore applications in the first location at least the threshold amount oftimes, associating the one or more application provisioning instructionswith the first location.
 14. The method of claim 9, further comprisingdetermining that a third application is not defined by the one or moreapplication provisioning instructions that are associated with the userdevice based on determining that the one or more applicationprovisioning instructions indicate that the third application does notcorrespond to the current time period.
 15. The method of claim 9,wherein the providing the one or more applications for use on thecomputing device includes providing one or more application icons forthe one or more applications, wherein the one or more application iconsare selectable.
 16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storingprogram instructions, the program instructions when executed cause amachine to perform operations comprising: determining that the computingdevice is in a first location; in response to the determining that thecomputing device is in the first location, determining one or moreapplication provisioning instructions that are associated with the firstlocation; determining one or more applications that correspond to theone or more application provisioning instructions associated with thefirst location; and in response to the determining the one or moreapplications that correspond to the one or more application provisioninstructions, providing the one or more applications for use on thecomputing device.
 17. The non-transitory computer readable medium ofclaim 16, the operations further comprising: monitoring the usage of thecomputing device and determining that the one or more applications havebeen utilized by a user of the computing device in the first location atleast a threshold amount of times; and in response to determining thatthe one or more applications have been utilized by the user of thecomputing device in the first location at least the threshold amounttimes, associating the one or more application provisioning instructionswith the first location.
 18. The non-transitory computer readable mediumof claim 17, wherein the determining that the one or more applicationshave been utilized by the user of the computing device in the firstlocation includes determining that the one or more applications havebeen launched on the computing device and an action has been takenwithin the one or more applications while the computing device waslocated in the first location.
 19. The non-transitory computer readablemedium of claim 16, the operations further comprising: receiving inputto associate one or more identifiers corresponding to the one or moreapplications with the first location; and in response to the receivingthe input to associate the one or more identifiers corresponding to theone or more applications with the first location, associating the one ormore application provisioning instructions with the first location. 20.The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, the operationsfurther comprising: monitoring the usage of one or more other computingdevices of one or more other users, wherein the one or more other userscorrespond to the user of the computing device; determining that the oneor more other users have utilized the one or more applications in thefirst location at least a threshold amount of times; in response to thedetermining that the one or more other users have utilized the one ormore applications in the first location at least the threshold amount oftimes, associating the one or more application provisioning instructionswith the first location.
 21. The non-transitory computer readable mediumof claim 16, wherein the providing the one or more applications for useon the computing device includes providing one or more application iconsfor the one or more applications, wherein the one or more applicationicons are selectable.